France in focus FRANCE 24 English

In 1924, French poet André Breton wrote a short text with fellow poet and compatriot Louis Aragon that was to send ripples through the world of art and literature, providing a blueprint for the avant-garde movements of the 20th century. One century later, we take a look at how the Surrealist Manifesto prompted an intellectual and artistic revolution in 1920s Paris; a statement of intent that was to have repercussions far beyond the French capital in the years that followed.

Exactly five years ago, the world watched in horror as Paris's Notre-Dame Cathedral was ravaged by flames. Today, carpenters and artisans are hammering away to meet a December 8 deadline for the Gothic landmark's grand reopening. Spectators attending the Paris Olympics this summer will already be able to admire the renovated structure from the outside. Meanwhile, life has resumed on the Île de la Cité, the island that's home to Notre-Dame in the historical heart of the French capital. The square in front of the cathedral and its surroundings are even set for a makeover. FRANCE 24's team went to meet local residents.

Nearly three quarters of French people eat chocolate once a week, consuming an average of 7 kilos per year. But what seems a simple indulgence has a dark side: cacao farming has resulted in massive deforestation. Reports of child labour and farmers who are often unfairly paid have tarnished the industry. Despite all this, chocolate has been considered a delicacy in France for centuries. In this show, we're focusing on an emerging new trend: ethical chocolate.

The race for accommodation in Paris could be an Olympic sport in itself. The number of rentals available is plummeting while prices are soaring, yet real estate agents are overwhelmed with demand. From short-term rentals to efficiency upgrades, prospective tenants are paying the price for the ongoing crisis. We take a closer look.

Text, code, speech, image and even video: you can now create anything in a flash thanks to generative artificial intelligence. This world-changing innovation presents an opportunity for France, which hasn’t been a leader in tech since the dawn of the internet. The French government is currently investing 1.5 billion euros into AI, and has championed a so-called “open source” approach. FRANCE 24's Peter O’Brien explores the potential payoffs.

His life was worthy of a novel. An Armenian orphan who arrived in France as a stateless refugee and became a poet and Communist activist, Missak Manouchian was a figure of the French Resistance during World War II. Exactly 80 years to the day after his execution by the Nazis, Manouchian is taking his place in the Panthéon mausoleum alongside France's other national heroes – a symbol of all foreign Resistance fighters who died for France. FRANCE 24's Alison Sargent, Florence Gaillard, Gaëlle Fonseca and Georges Yazbeck look back at Manouchian's life and legacy.